Wayfinding in the Fog
We expect summer fog in San Francisco, but this year has been particularly foggy. It’s disorienting to see no landmarks, to have a nearby street or the entire Bay invisible in the mist. Of course, if one keeps going, the streets and hills do come into view. You find your bearings, choose your direction, and move forward.
It’s very much the same with career choices: From a distance, the horizon can be murky, with details hidden by lack of information. Even so, if you keep going, exploring with curiosity and attention, you do find your bearings, at least enough to recognize the next part of your journey.
Clients sometimes think they need to know everything about “what’s out there” to make smart career choices. They want assurance that there will be no speed bumps or detours ahead. But think about how you really find your way, whether in a building or a whole city: Step one is to get your bearings, notice doorways, streets, places where the path is narrow or wide. Step two is to choose a likely direction and set out. Step three is to monitor your route for signs that you are getting close. Step four is to recognize when you have arrived at your destination.
Career decisions are not as concrete as finding a meeting room or a restaurant; they are more like finding your way through a national park. At first, you may only know that the road from the park entrance leads to the trailheads. That’s probably enough to get you to a map which shows several trails, allowing you to choose your first direction. You set out, watch for trail signs, notice vistas or slopes. Possibly you turn back or take a side trail after realizing that you don’t have the right shoes for the terrain. Or you continue, finding the trail ever more to your liking, enjoying both your own movement and the views or glimpses of the peak or the lake. Perhaps you meet others on the trail, chatting with them about what they are enjoying or finding disappointing, sharing tips about the rest of the park or the region.
When you reach your goal, you may stop to rest and appreciate the sights, you may look for a trail that goes around the lake, you may set up your easel or aim your bird-watching binoculars because that’s what you really came for.
I don’t want to push the metaphor, but the truth is that career wayfinding is a lot more like exploring a well-marked park than entering a dark forest. The best way to dispel the fog of uncertainty or fear is to follow your curiosity, take the first steps even though the rest of the road is hidden, and notice rays of light on your path. In the jargon of career choice, this means self-exploration, informational interviews, site visits, and other tools for investigating whether you find a particular path attractive enough to pursue. You look for kindred spirits, check your gut for red lights or green lights, and consider your level of preparedness for the terrain ahead. By all means consult a map or travel with a guide, but remember that moving forward is how you will find your destination.
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